Natural resources such as gas, oil, and water residing in a subterranean formation or zone are usually recovered by drilling a wellbore down to the subterranean formation while circulating a drilling fluid in the wellbore. After terminating the circulation of the drilling fluid, the well may be completed by running a string of pipe, e.g. casing, into the wellbore. The drilling fluid is then usually circulated downward through the interior of the pipe and upward through the annulus, which is located between the exterior of the pipe and the walls of the wellbore. In addition, a cement slurry may be placed in the annulus and permitted to set into a hard mass (i.e., sheath) to thereby attach the string of pipe to the walls of the wellbore and seal the annulus.
These drilling and completion activities are typically implemented using a variety of specialized tools. Some of these tools may be pneumatically powered, and thus the drilling rig may contain one or more air compressors to generate the required pressure and volume of compressed air. Because these air compressors draw air directly from the atmosphere, any moisture in the air is conveyed into the pressured pneumatic lines and the pneumatic tools. When the temperature drops below freezing, for example at night or during winter months, the moisture may freeze and restrict or completely block the flow of air to the pneumatic tools. Such restrictions or blockages prevent the drilling rig from being fully operational.